The invention is directed to a surgical tube-adapter structure by means of which a fluid conducting tube may be operatively connected to a blood vessel for withdrawing blood from or inserting blood into the vessel.
Devices of this general type are employed in connection with surgical operations, particularly those involving open heart surgery and the like, wherein a by-pass structure may be formed for the flow of blood, to relieve blood pressure at the heart or particular point of surgery. Thus, loss of blood and hemorrhaging due to the otherwise increased blood pressure, which may reach 200 mm of mercury, is eliminated.
In the past, tube connections of this general type have been made by inserting the end of a tubular structure within the blood vessel and suturing such structure in position on the blood vessel. Devices of this construction have been prone to leakage and at the same time present a number of disadvantages in connection with their installation and removal. The physical operation attendant to the insertion of such tube and the suturing thereof to the blood vessel is both a time consuming and a very delicate operation as the suture should not extend completely through the wall of the blood vessel as this would create an additional leakage problem. Consequently, the surgeon endeavors to stitch merely into the wall without actually piercing it. It will be appreciated that such an operation cannot be hurriedly effected. Following the utilization of the connecting structure, the sutures must be cut and removed from the vessel along with the tubular structure, and the puncture in the vessel repaired. This is normally accomplished by means of a spoon clamp which has a generally spoon configuration and is provided with an opening in the spoon portion thereof to provide access to the puncture in the vessel whereby the puncture may be sutured, working through the hole in the clamp. Needless to say, such suturing and the attendant removal operations create trauma to the vessel.